BAGUIO CITY – Officers and members of the electric Cooperative Member-Consumer-Owners (ECMCO) United renewed their unwavering and uncompromising support to the embattled Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) Party-list and Rep. Presley de Jesus for their continued support to the ongoing struggles of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) to be free from the current leadership crisis besetting one of the top performing electric cooperatives in the country.
In a statement, the group claimed that they hold PHILRECA Party-list Rep. de Jesus in the highest regard and esteem as he was able to ably present BENECO and other electric cooperative in their causes in the halls of Congress, thus, they have the greatest respect for him.
The EC MCO united claimed that it will never initiate an ill-conceived move against the lawmaker contrary to what happened on July 11, 2022 where he was virtually the subject of a character assassination by purported BENECO officers and their visitors from Isabela and the Isabela electric Cooperative (ISELCO) who did nothing but to air their sentiments against the congressman during a press conference that was allegedly called for the said purpose.
Lawyers Ana Marie Rafael, Myta Cascolan Andres, Isabela board member Edward Isidro, ISELCO consumer lawyer Karen Abuan, former Luna, Isabela Mayor Jaime Atayde and former 1 Care Party-list Rep. Mike Rivera narrated serious allegations against ISELCO and PHILRECA, hinting alleged irregularities based on opinions but offered no solid evidence to support their claims.
The group described the said press conference as washing dirty linen of ISELCO in public and even performed character assassination against Congressman de Jesus.
According to the group, it seemed that the personalities were more concerned about their grudges against the congressman instead of discussing the welfare of consumers of electric cooperatives in the different parts of the country.
Instead of focusing their responses to the initiatives that will be undertaken to advance the interest of their consumers, the group alleged that the issues that were raised could be best answered in the proper forum such as in the annual general assembly of electric cooperatives rather than in the social media.
The group called on the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to look on the actions taken by the concerned lawyers during the said activity that is why they must be censored in light of the fact that they have continued to allegedly use the law and what they consider as the rule of law to bludgeon the public, befuddle BENECO consumers sow discord among their ranks as the same is not what the law is for and their calling themselves lawyers which is a continue mark of shame that besmirches the title attorney.
The group deplored, disowned and disavowed any attempt against PHILRECA Party-list Rep. de Jesus which are led by the said individuals with doubtful personalities as the same is clearly intended to suit their own personal and political interests in trying to forcibly take over the leadership of BENECO despite the pendency of a case before the Court of Appeals (Ca) where they continue to do contemptuous actions worthy of being imposed the appropriate penalties.
